I've bought 3 of these so far on separate occasions (all the 0.9 mm yellow version). One was a gift for my 10 yo son, who kept borrowing mine, and won't write with anything else now. I love how this pencil feels in my hand and while writing. It is very well engineered, nicely balanced, and has a smooth mechanism. The auto-retracting mechanism when you clip in on you pocket is a nice touch. All around great design. I've only purchased the yellow one (0.9mm, HB lead) because I planned on mostly using it for marking wood for my woodworking projects and so needed the stronger/thicker lead, but I find myself writing with it all the time. It's just that pleasant to use. I had a problem with one of them (it broke at the yellow plastic part), and I contacted the Pantel warranty department since it was well past the 30 day Amazon return. It took them a while to respond (7-10 days, I forget) so I was initially concerned, but they responded saying they would send a new one and a label for me to return the broken one. Which they did, no questions, no hassle. Top marks for their customer service. Very happy. There are two things that could be better: 1) There is one plastic piece in an otherwise all metal product. It is a weak point, and in fact where one of my pencils broke. But the customer service/warranty department has been great, so I guess if they continue like that (it has a lifetime warranty!), I can't complain too much. 2) The clip is just folded metal and could be a bit sharp on clothes. This is actually a pretty common construction for clips on pencils and pens alike, but for $20+ I was hoping for better. I carry one of them with me pretty much at all times, so I'm a bit concerned the clip eventually will cut into the cloth. So far it hasn't, so I my concern might not be justified. Time will tell and I will try to update in 6+ months either way. Also, one thing I wish they had communicated more clearly: In order to set the handy lead hardness indicator, first loosen the conical end piece part. The indicator part should then spin feely. Make your selection and tighten it back up. (Finger tight is sufficient.) I got all of mine on sale around $13-$16. At that price you really can't beat the value. Full price is $23+, which might seem pricey for a pencil, but if you don't lose it, it should last you a very long time. I think it's well worth it even at full price if you value an affordable, quality writing/drafting pencil. (If you're prone to losing pencils, though, then your experience might vary. :-) ) I highly recommend this pencil. (And seeing as I've bought this on 3 occasions, it goes without saying that I'd buy it again.) Read more
Best mechanical pencil I've used. I got this when I started graduate school and it's been a reliable tool for 2 years. It's saved me a ton of money on disposable pencils. Lead refills are cheap and last years. It feels premium and smooth. Only negative is the eraser head is tiny and if bent at all has a hard time fitting back in; it runs out quick and refills are a must. I usually just have a large eraser on the side and only use the eraser head for small errors. Buying another after 2 years. RIP my old one. Do NOT use for carpentry. xD Read more
I enjoy sketching and painting, and I'm always on the lookout for new tools to help me work. As of late I’ve been going back through some of my art supply purchased over the years and reviewing the ones that stood out in order to hopefully help other artists make informed purchases. I purchased my first Pentel Graph Gear 1000 mechanical pencil a little over five years ago, and have added many more to my collection in the years since. It's my go-to mechanical pencil for a number of reasons: - It has a comfortable, chiseled metallic grip inlaid with soft latex-free pads provides writing comfort. These pads are different colors depending on the lead size you choose (brown for .3 mm, grey for .5 mm, blue for .7 mm, and yellow for .9 mm), making it easy to identify which size of lead you're using. - The dual-action retractor advances and retracts tip for easy use. This means that you're able to retract the tip when you're storing it, which helps prevent damage to the tip as well as accidental damage (read: holes) in whatever you're storing it in. - The lead and eraser are refillable. - The barrel has a rotating window that allows you to identify the type of lead you've placed in it (2B, HB, etc.), so if you have multiples of these pencils, it's easy at a glance to identify what type of lead is in each without having to test them. Between this and the color-coding for the lead type, it makes it incredibly easy to keep on creating rather than having to take breaks to remember where you put a certain lead size or hardness or softness of lead. It also means that if you have multiples, you can have a variety of them handy, rather than having to regularly swap out lead. - They are extremely well weighted. - I rarely experience breakage. I regularly carry the following Pentel Graph Gear 1000s in my mobile sketch kit: - A .5 mm with 2H lead - A .5 mm with HB lead - A .5 mm with 2B lead - A .3 mm with 2H lead That said, these are by far my favorite mechanical pencils, and they are something I regularly use at home and while on the go. I would highly recommend them to any artist or draftsmen who is interested in adding a solid and long-lasting mechanical pencil to their creative arsenal. I am a longtime Amazon Prime customer who enjoys writing reviews in my free time. If you have any questions or comments about this product or my review, feel free to message me and I'll be glad to help! Read more
This is quite possibly the best pencil I've ever used. The balance and weight are perfect, the retraction mechanism is incredibly satisfying and a great fidget, and the pencil is quite sturdy. The lead is thick enough to not break as long as it's set at a reasonable length (<5mm), and thin enough to make precise drawings and write very small. The eraser under the back cap (which just pulls off) is great for precision erasing, but I would recommend having a separate, larger eraser as well. Read more
